51: Strange tattoo pigments

Chapter 51: Peculiar Tattoo Pigments

"You want to be a Scroll Master?" Wu Xian's expression was strange.

Tattoo Bro Lin Yang nodded devoutly.

"But aren't you involved in human scroll art?"

"It's precisely because I couldn't become a Scroll Master that I started dabbling in this," Tattoo Bro said with clear eyes. "If I could have learned scroll, who would bother with this kind of thing?"

The more Wu Xian listened, the more confused he became. "You started doing human scroll art because you couldn't learn scroll?"

"Yeah," Lin Yang replied without hesitation. "The blending, combination, and application of spirituality—isn't that what Scroll Masters study? Back then, I didn't have money to buy spiritual drawing paper, so I picked up scraps to concoct pigments and tried them on myself."

As he spoke, he pulled out a large pile of Scroll Master tools and drafts from his hyperspace bracelet.

"Brother, please look. I've never given up on my dream all these years. These are the scroll drafts I conceived in my spare time," Lin Yang continuously showed Wu Xian. "Unfortunately, they all failed once I put them on spiritual drawing paper; they simply couldn't form a scroll."

Wu Xian looked through Lin Yang's concept drafts. Just based on the drawing skill, it was quite good, even exuding a unique artistic sense.

However, the style of the paintings looked strange no matter how he viewed them; he always felt something was off.

"Where did you learn to draw?" Wu Xian asked, puzzled.

"From my dad."

"Is your father a painter?" Wu Xian was surprised.

"My dad is also a tattoo artist. It's an inherited old craft, and he studied painting for a few years," Lin Yang said with some pride. "The tattoos on those punks in Shudao District were all done by my father and me. Our reputation is absolutely solid."

"..." Wu Xian didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

No wonder this guy's paintings looked increasingly off.

"Please guide me, Brother. What exactly is my problem?" Lin Yang looked at Wu Xian with eager eyes.

"Guidance is too strong a word; let's learn from each other," Wu Xian waved his hand and smiled. "I'll teach you drawing, and you teach me how to apply spiritual pigments to people. How about that?"

"Yes, yes!"

Lin Yang didn't hesitate at all, afraid Wu Xian would change his mind.

For so many years, he hadn't stopped trying to find a Scroll Master to apprentice under, but those Scroll Masters, upon hearing he was a tattoo artist, looked at him like he was trash and chased him away.

Now that someone was willing to guide him, he was incredibly excited.

"So many concept drafts, and not a single one could form a scroll?"

Wu Xian continued to look through Lin Yang's achievements over the years, secretly puzzled.

Lin Yang shook his head awkwardly.

"Not a single one?" Wu Xian confirmed again.

Logically, it shouldn't be possible for none of them to succeed. After all, even a trash scroll is still a scroll; it's just a matter of good or bad results.

"Try drawing one on practice paper."

"Please excuse my humble attempt."

Lin Yang took out a pile of bottles and jars of homemade pigments and began to demonstrate on the spot.

Wu Xian immediately noticed something amiss. "The spiritual fluctuations of your pigments are very strange."

He picked up a bottle of pigment, examined it carefully, and found its spiritual structure completely different from common pigments.

"Don't tell me this is the pigment you use for tattooing?" Wu Xian asked strangely.

"Otherwise?" Lin Yang replied without hesitation.

"..."

Good heavens, everything was abnormal. It would be a miracle if it succeeded.

Perhaps it was precisely because of these unique qualities that he could pull off such a daring move as spiritual human tattoos?

Next, he discussed the blending of spiritual pigments with Lin Yang, which once again refreshed Wu Xian's understanding.

Tattoo Bro's method of pigment blending profoundly shocked him; it could only be described as unorthodox.

And so, Wu Xian guided him on the thought process of normal spiritual pigment blending while also learning Tattoo Bro's blending approach.

Both were very enthusiastic about learning and felt they had gained a lot.

After some time, Zhang Mazi, who was waiting outside, thought something had happened and specifically came in to check.

Tattoo Bro became increasingly excited as he learned. "I wondered why the pigments always bled when I tried to draw on spiritual drawing paper. It turns out the pigment blending method was wrong."

"Additionally, your drawing style also needs a slight adjustment."

While giving pointers, Wu Xian curiously picked up Lin Yang's pigment and tried it. Indeed, when drawn on spiritual drawing paper, it bled.

It severely affected the drawing.

Then, he tried applying the pigment to the back of his hand and could clearly feel the spiritual substance in the pigment permeating his skin, causing a burning sensation.

He quickly wiped the pigment off the back of his hand, thinking to himself that this guy was truly a prodigy.

"Did you never consider trying commercially available general-purpose pigments?" Wu Xian asked, puzzled.

"After trying a few times unsuccessfully, I stopped buying them. Too expensive."

Wu Xian was speechless.

Perhaps this was the so-called 'poverty mindset.'

Just then, a commotion erupted outside the room, and the two quickly went out to investigate.

"Brother Lin, save him quickly...!"

A street punk rushed into the clinic, holding another unconscious punk, his expression anxious.

"Don't worry!"

Lin Yang immediately began to examine the patient's condition, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

Wu Xian quickly understood the punk's condition, a common ailment in the Shantytown, but this punk's situation was somewhat severe, with many parts of his body already starting to shrivel and harden.

A typical case of "Distortion Contamination" syndrome.

However, Tattoo Bro Lin Yang's subsequent actions completely stunned him.

He saw him pull out bottles and jars of tattoo pigments and begin tattooing on the punk's body.

"This...?!"

Lin Yang gave an honest smile and explained, "My dad discovered back then that tattooing some spiritual pigments into the human body could help many people curb the deterioration of their condition. Now, my pigments have an even better effect."

"?!"

Wu Xian's eyes widened in disbelief.

In an instant, the image of this bald Tattoo Bro before him suddenly became towering, his shiny bald head beginning to radiate brilliance.

Looking at the eyes of Zhang Mazi and the other punks towards Tattoo Bro, they were filled with respect.

Soon after, the unconscious punk gradually recovered his vital signs, though various simple tattoo patterns now adorned his body.

"You all have tattoos too, right? Why can't I see them?" Wu Xian asked Zhang Mazi, puzzled.

Zhang Mazi calmly said, "Our tattoos are special. They require multiple tattooing sessions and absorption. They're usually invisible and only appear when spiritual power is activated."

As he spoke, he circulated his spiritual power, revealing the faint patterns on his arm.

"The tattoo on my right arm has been deepened three times and has begun to show its patterns. We call them Spiritual Markings."

Wu Xian understood.

Just as scrolls need better materials and reconstruction to improve, Tattoo Bro's "human scroll art" naturally also needed continuous deepening and strengthening with higher-quality spiritual substances.

"Why aren't your brothers here starting their evolution?" Wu Xian asked curiously.

"Their physical fitness isn't up to par yet."

"Physical fitness?" Wu Xian was momentarily stunned.

Only after Zhang Mazi's explanation did he learn that this method had high requirements for both physical fitness and willpower.

The more times one was tattooed, the higher the requirements, otherwise the body simply couldn't withstand the power of "evolution."

"Once I Break through to Level Four spiritual power, I'll be able to withstand more tattooing," Zhang Mazi said.

Wu Xian remained silent, thinking of the old man's Heaven-Defying physical fitness and that set of spiritual power application techniques, suspected to be a Cultivation Technique.

It was simply a perfect match!

After some further pleasantries and discussions with Tattoo Bro, they exchanged contact information and departed.

Walking through the chaotic Shudao District, looking at the diverse people reveling and having fun in the mire, his mood was complex.

After eighteen years of Transmigration, it was the first time he had a deeper understanding of the Shantytown where he lived.

The reason he hadn't fallen to such a state was partly due to the old man's arduous efforts, and partly because he was born with a mature mind.

But what about those children who truly grew up in the Shantytown?

Then he looked at the hideous and terrifying dimensional crack in the sky above.

He didn't understand why this world was like this.

"Ah—there's a monster—!"

Screams pulled Wu Xian back from his thoughts. In the narrow street not far away, people were fleeing in panic.

He could vaguely see three insect monsters wreaking havoc among the crowd.